PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

328 Drily if Civil Vbt;dien(,("
certained it; that the New Testarrlent contaillS Jlu:~
one passage, which, fairly interpreted, affords either
arguin~nt or objection applicable to any (,onclusion~
up:·)n the ~ubject, that are deduced from the la\v and·
reli~ion of nature.
1'he only passages which have been seriou~ly alleged
in the controversy, or which it is necessary
for us to state and exatlline, are the t\,tQ follo\ving ;
the one extracted from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans,
the other from the First General Epistle of St.
Peter.
ROMANS xiii. 1-7.
'6 Let e,rery soul be subject. unto the higher powers.
For there is no pO\\1er but of (;od; the powers
that be, are ordained of God. Whosoevel· there ..
fore resist~th the power, resisteth the ordinance of
God: and they that resist, shall receive to thenl·,
selves damnatioll. For rulers are not a terror to
good ,vorks, but to the e\ril. \Vilt thou then not
be afraid of the power? Do that which is good,
alid th()u shalt have praise of the sallle: for he is the
nl1fli~'\ter of G-od to thee for good. But it thou do
t11at \vhicil 1:7 evil, be afraid; for he beareth not th:~
s\vord i;.l vai11: f{)r h~~ i~ the nlinister of G-od, a rev~nger
to e)::ccute \\'rath upon him that doeth evil.
\VhercffJre )Te must needs be subject, not only for.
\vratI1, tut also for c()n~cience sake. FC!:1\~1r thiscausepay
yt;U tribute also: for they are God's lninisters,.
atteIldiclg continually upon this very ttling. Rcnd,,-~r
therefore to all their dtlCS: tribllte to \vhom
trihute is dlle, custom to \'Thorn CtlStOlll, fear towl10rn
fear, honour to \VhC)ln 110n()Ur."
] PL'fER. ii~ ]~-]8.
"Subnlit v()urselve~
. to e\'er,' , ()rdil1al1ce of nlap..
for the Lo"'l's sake: whether it be to the king as
supreme; or Ullto g()vernors, as llnto th(~nl th£lt are
ser,t by him for the'- punishm~nt of evil doers, and for
th~ prai,e of tilem thclt do \vell. For Sf) is the \viII
of God~ that with well-doing yc may put to silence
the ignorance Cit· foolish men: as free, and not using